Miami: Cat found alive in collapsed building in Surfside

Binx, a cat that lived on the ninth floor of the Surfside building that collapsed last month, has been found unharmed and returned to his family, officials said Friday.

Gina Nicole Vlasek, co-founder of the animal shelter The Kitty Campus, posted on Facebook that a black cat resembling Binx was found near the building rubble in Surfside on Thursday night and taken to the group’s facilities located nearby in Miami Beach.

A former resident of the building Champlain Towers South visited The Kitty Campus on Friday and confirmed that the cat was his, Vlasek noted.

“We are very grateful to be able to help in any way,” Vlasek wrote.

Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava told a news conference Friday night that Binx was recognized by a volunteer who was feeding cats near the collapsed building.

“I am glad that this little miracle could bring some light to the lives of a grieving family today and could provide some relief for our entire community in the midst of this terrible tragedy,” said Levine Cava.

The mayor said animal control workers continue to set traps to capture live animals in the area in hopes of recovering pets that may have been saved after the deadly landslide.

The 12-story building collapsed in the early morning of June 24. Authorities have confirmed the deaths of 79 people, and 61 are still missing.